Pitless well adapter and coupling apparatus



Nov. 27, 1956 H. E. CARTER PITLESS WELL ADAPTER AND COUPLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

I m m a w Q Q5 f w l u I. 2 v. e o 9 II M 1, I n M r w nun lu l m IIIII I I r un m w v 1| United States Patent PITLESS WELL ADAPTER AND COUPLING APPARATUS Herbert E. Carter, Richland Center, Wis.

Application November 21, 1955, Serial No. 548,112

Claims. (Cl. 166-85) This invention relates generally to a pitless well adapter and coupling apparatus, and more particularly to a novel structural arrangement for installing a deep-well submergible pump in flow communication with a pressure liquid supply system.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel coupling means arranged for manipulation deep within a well casing from a position entirely above the casing, so as to permit connection and disconnection of the supply pipe from a submergible pump to a discharge fitting located a substantial distance below the upper end of the well casing, without the necessity for the construction of a well pit or the provision of other means permitting exposure or removal of parts at the point of coupling connection.

it is another object of this invention to provide coupling means and cooperating wrench means for enabling remote manipulation of the coupling means entirely within a well casing and at a substantial distance below the upper casing end.

It is a further object of this invention to provide remotely actuated lever means for effecting a liquid-tight and readily releasable pressure coupling of the pump supply line to the discharge line at a substantial depth within a well casing.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my pitless well adapter and coupling apparatus whereby the objects contemplated are obtained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper end of the cylindrical Well casing, partly broken away, showing the upper end of a pump supply pipe and a casing discharge fitting coupled together for liquid supply flow;

Figure 2 is another vertical cross-sectional view of the well casing shown in Figure 1, illustrating installation of an adapter fitting within the casing discharge fitting by means of a novel wrench means;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially as indicated along the line 3-3 on Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, showing features of construction of the wrench means;

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially as indicated along the line 55 on Figure 1; and

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary views of a modified form of the coupler member and lever means.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 to 5 of the drawing, I have indicated generally at 10 the upper end of a cylindrical well casing. In typical and well-known installations, the casing 10 may be a six-foot length of six-inch pipe buried Within the ground. An outlet opening 12 is provided in the side wall of the casing 10 closely adjacent its lower end, so as to be located 2,771,955 Ce Patented Nov. 27, 195.6

at a depth of about 68 inches or more below the top of the casing. In this way the outlet supply flow of water through the casing 10 will be at a level well below the ground frost line for the particular geographical locality of pump use. It will be understood, of course, that the size and dimensions indicated may be varied to accommodate the particular requirements of various pump installations.

A discharge fitting 14 is welded at 16 to the casing 10 in direct flow communication with the outlet 12. The fitting 14 is internally screw-threaded at 18, and is adapted to be permanently connected to a buried supply line leading to a point of liquid use such as a home or farm plumbing system or the like. A liquid supply pipe 20 serves to conduct liquid upwardly from a submergible pump located at a substantial distance below the outlet 12. The casing 10 is threaded at its lower end 22 for coupling to additional lengths of well casing, in the wellknown manner.

The various features of the present invention relate to a novel structural arrangement for effecting a liquidflow coupling of the upper end of the pump supply pipe 20 to the discharge fitting 14. In accordance with the present invention, the various means for effecting such coupling are adapted to be remotely manipulated from a position entirely above the top of the casing and the ground level, without any necessity for excavation .or other access means to the casing level at the discharge fitting 14.

For this purpose, I provide a generally tubular adapter fitting 24 having a screw-threaded pipe end 26, adapted to be received within the threaded discharge fitting 14, and having an enlarged diameter connector flange 28 adapted to be disposed at a radially inward location within the casing 10. The flange 28 is formed with an annular recess or channel 30 adapted to receive a suit:- able sealing gasket 32 therein. Radially inwardly of the channel 30, the flange 28 is formed with a central hole 34 of square or otherwise non-rounded cross section.

A coupler member 36 is provided for effecting a connection between the pipe 20 and the fitting 24. The coupler member 36 is in the form of a T-fitting of generally hollow form, and provides a threaded inlet boss 38 at its lower end for screw-threaded attachment to the upper end of the pump supply pipe 20. An outlet boss 40 extends from one side of the coupler member 36 to provide an annular surface or mounting lip adapted to be received within the channel 30 in contacting engagement against the gasket 32. Another threaded boss 42 is provided at the upper end of the coupler member 36 and serves to eflect screw-threaded connection with the lower end of a riser pipe 44. The pipe 44 is of sufiicient length to extend upwardly through the casing 10 to a point above the top thereof. A closure plug 46-is disposed Within the lower end of the pipe 44 so as to prevent liquid flow from the coupler member 36 upwardly therethrough.

Lever means indicated generally at 59 are provided for exerting an engaging and sealing force between the connector flange end 28 of the adapter fitting 24 and the mounting lip portion 48 of the coupler member 36; so as to provide a liquid-tight connection for flow from the pump supply pipe 29 outwardly through the coupler 36, adapter 24, and discharge fitting 14, as indicated by the flow arrows on Figure l.

The iever means 58 includes a supporting member 52 which is welded to the top end of the coupler 36, and provides a pair of upstanding ears 54 and 56 (see Figure 5). The ears 54 and 56 are apertured to receive'a lever bolt 58 therethrough. The bolt 58 provides a pivot-axis for rotation of a pair of lever arms 60 and 62 ofira unitary U.-shape d lever member '64. The lever arms;;60 and 62 terminate in curved contact fingers 66 and 68,

which are spaced from each other a sufiicient distance to straddle the pipe end 26 of the adapter fitting 24 and seatingly engage against the inner annular flange wall 70 of the flanged end 28.

i Tlieend of thelever member 64 opposite the contact fingers 66 and "68is apertured at 72 to receive an extended leg portion 74 of an elongated operating rod 76.

Removal of the leg74 from the aperture 72 is precluded by a lock pin 75. The' rod 76 -is disposed within the extension pipe 44, and the leg portion 74 at its lower end extends through a suitable hole or slot 73 of sufiicient vertical height to permit movement of the leg 74 upwardly and downwardly when the rod 76 is raised and lowered. It will be apparent that vertical movement of the rod 76 will serve to effect a pivoting of the lever mem- 'so as to pull the mounting lip 40 of'the coupler 36 into liquid-tight contacting engagement against the gasket 32. In this way, a tight and readily removable pressure coupling of the pump supply pipe 20 to the discharge fitting .14 is effected by means of the adapter 24 and the coupler 36 with its lever means 50.

The upper end of the well casing is provided with a closure cap 30 and resilient gasket 81 to provide a sanitary seal for precluding the entry of foreign matter into the well casing. The cap 80 is centrally apertured at 82 to permit the upper end of the riser pipe 44 to extend therethrough. A sleeve 84 surrounds the upper end of the pipe 44 and is beveled at its lower end for cooperation with a resilient gasket 85 which tightly engages the riser pipe 44 and rests upon the top surface of the cap'80. In this way a water-tight seal is provided. The upper end of the'pipe 44 is screw-threaded to receive a pipe nut 86 having a set screw 88. In this way, a rigid assembly of parts is effected. The uppermost threaded end of the pipe 44 extends above the pipe nut 86, and receives internally thereof an apertured cap 90 through which the upper end of the operating rod 76 extends. The upper end of the rod 76 is threaded for cooperation with a thumb nut 92 which fits upon the assembly and preventing accidental rotation of the thumb nut 92.

Upon removal of the plug 96, and the sleeve 94 if also 7 necessary, rotation of the thumb nut 92 may be eflected to either raise or lower the operating rod 76 and thereby effect tighter coupling engagement or release asdesired. It it becomes necessary to remove the pump from the well, the thumb, nut 92 is loosened until the coupler 36 is released from the adapter 24, and then the. upper end of the extension pipe 44 or one of the fittings threaded thereon may be secured to a hoist for elevating the entire assembly of pipe 44, coupler 36, pipe 20, and submerged pump upwardly through and out of the well casing.

In order to accommodate coupling connections between all sizes of conventional deep-well pump supply pipes and casing discharge fittings, without the necessity of manufacturing a variety of coupler members of different sizes, it is of particular importance to utilize the removable adapter fitting 24. The same size coupler member 36 may be universally attached to the plumbing pipes and fittings utilized at the present time in submergible pump installations by forming the threaded boss 38 for coupling toia 1% inch pipe and by em- A ploying all inch size pipe for the discharge fitting 14.

V invention.

Such sizes accommodate substantially 'all larger pump installations, and may be readily adapted for connection to smaller pipes by appropriate selection of the size of adapter 24 and the use of a reduction bushing within the threaded boss 38 of the coupler 36. In this way, universal adaptability may be effected simply by appropriate selection of the relatively low-cost adapter fitting 24, and the use of a reduction bushing, if necessary. The more costly coupler member 36 and integrally associated lever means 50 may be same for all cases.

It is apparent, therefore, that an 'appropriate adapter fitting 24 must initially be inserted within the discharge fitting 14 of an existing installation in order to permit the use of the novel coupler arrangement of the present In order to permit the insertion and removal of the necessary adapter fitting 24 at a remote location above the top of the well casing 10, I have provided a cooperating wrench device 100, particularly shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawing The wrench 100 comprises a spaced pair of lower shaft plates 102 for mounting a rotatable shaft 164 having square or otherwise non-round ends of appropriate size to be received within the square or non-round hole 34 of the adapter fitting 24. A sprocket wheel 106 is fixedly carried by the shaft 104 intermediate the plates 102. At

the opposite or upper end of the wrench 100, a second pair of spaced shaft plates 108 is provided formounting a rotatable shaft 110, substantially in the same manner as the lower'shaft 1104. Likewise, a second sprocket wheel 112 is carried intermediate the upper plates 108. In the embodiment shown, the lower sprocket wheel is of somewhat larger size than the uppersprocket wheel, and although the lower shaft 104 is-of relatively short length, the upper shaft is somewhat longer to facilitate cooperation with a standard wrench, such as one of 18 inch size.

Apair of pipes or channel members 114 and 116 interconnect the shaft plates 102 and 108. The lower ends of the pipes 114 and 116 are positioned between the plates 102 and welded thereto. The upper ends of the pipes 114 and 116 are threaded and adapted to be slidably received within a pair of sleeves 118 and welded to the upper plates 103. The upper pipe ends are adjustably fixed in position within the sleeves 118 and 120 by means of threaded lock nuts 119 and 12 1 received on the threaded portions thereof. A continuous link chain 122 passes over the sprockets 106 and 112 andextends through the pipes 114 and 116. The threaded connections of the pipes to the upper shaft plates 103 by means of the sleeves 118 and 120 and the lock nuts 119 and 121 permit adjustment for taking up chain slack at any time as desired.

A gripping bar or pipe 124 may be welded across the chain pipes 114 and 116 to provide a means for facilitating manual support and manipulation of the entire wrench.

A lock bar 126 is mounted for vertical'sliding movement through a pair of guide brackets 128 fixedly mounted on one of the shaft plates 102. A lock control rod 100 is removably secured to the upper end of the lock bar 126 and is supported for vertical movement by a plurality of guide'brackets'132' (one being shown for purposes of illustration) welded across the chain pipes 114 and 116. The lower end of the lock bar.126 is formed with a double bend to provide a gripping finger 134.

In practice, an adapter fitting 24 of suitable predetermined size-is placed on the appropriate one of the square ends of the lower rotatable shaft 104, and fixedly held thereon by manual lowering of the lock bar 126 so as the adapter fitting 24,,as seen-in Figure 2 of the drawing.

I The wrench and the fitting 24 carried thereby may then 24 carried thereby so as to thread the fitting 24 into the discharge fitting 14. It will be apparent that in a similar manner the fitting 24 may be removed and pulled out of the casing 10. During removal, the lock bar 126 serves to prevent accidental dropping of the fitting 24 down the casing 10.

In Figures 6 and 7 of the drawing, I have shown a modified form of construction utilizing a coupler member casting 36a in place of the T-fitting type of member 36. Parts identical to those already described have been indicated by the same numerals. The coupler 36a differs from the coupler 36 in that a uniformly curved conduit is provided between the pump supply pipe and the flow outlet from the member 36a. Modified lever means Etta are fixedly mounted atop the coupler member 36a and provide substantially the same lever arms and contact fingers for exerting coupling pressure upon the cooperating adaptor fitting. In this form of construction, the extension pipe 44 screws into a separate threaded ring 52a rigidly secured to the lever means 50a, and does not require the closure plug 46 shown in Figure 1.

A pair of mounting elements 54a and 56a are Welded to the upper end of the fitting 36a at their lower ends, and welded to the ring 52a at their upper ends' The members 54a and 56a receive a pivot bolt 811 therethrough for rotatably mounting the lever arms 60a and 62a formed by a U-shaped lever member 64a. The operation and utility of this modified form of coupler member and its cooperating lever means is otherwise identical to that heretofore described in connections with coupler 36 and pivot means 50.

Changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my pitless well adapter and coupling apparatus without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by the claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical improvements which may be reasonably included within their scope.

What I claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A pitless well adapter and coupling apparatus comprising a generally hollow adapter fitting having an inlet and an outlet and providing a connector flange at its inlet, a generally hollow coupler member having an inlet adapted to be connected to a pump supply pipe and an outlet forming a mounting lip, riser means secured to said coupler member and adapted to extend upwardly through a well casing, lever means pivotally mounted on said coupler member, and an elongated operating member carried by said riser means and secured to said lever means, said lever means being operative when actuated by said operating member to tightly engage said coupler mounting lip against said adapter connector flange and efiect flow interconnection thereof entirely within a well casing.

2. A pitless well adapter and coupling apparatus for use with a well casing having a lateral discharge outlet located at a substantial distance below the upper end thereof, said apparatus comprising a generally hollow adapter fitting having an inlet and an outlet and providing a connector flange extending transversely at its inlet, a generally hollow coupler member having an inlet adapted to be connected to a pump supply pipe and a lateral outlet forming a mounting lip, riser means secured to said coupler member and adapted to extend upwardly through a well casing, lever means pivotally mounted on said coupler member and extending laterally therefrom beyond said mounting lip, and an elongated operating member carried by said riser means and secured to said lever means, said lever means being operative when actuated by said operating member to tightly engage said laterally extending conpler mounting lip against said adapter connector flange when said adapter fitting is in laterally disposed alignment adapted to be coupled to a lateral discharge outlet within a well casing, whereby flow interconnection between the coupler member and the adapter fitting is efiected.

3. A pitless well adapter and coupling apparatus comprising a generally hollow adapter fitting having an inlet and an outlet and providing an enlarged connector flange at its inlet, a generally hollow coupler member having an inlet adapted to be connected to a pump supply pipe and an outlet forming a mounting lip, said connector flange having a channel to receive said coupler mounting lip, riser means secured to said coupler member and adapted to extend upwardly through a well casing, lever means pivotally mounted on said coupler member, and an elongated operating member carried by said riser means and secured to said lever means, said lever means being operative when actuated by said operating member to tightly engage said coupler mounting lip against said connector flange channel and effect flow interconnection thereof entirely within a well casing.

4. A pitless well adapter and coupling apparatus comprising a generally hollow adapter fitting having an inlet and an outlet and providing an enlarged connector flange at its inlet, a generally hollow coupler member having an inlet adapted to be connected to a pump supply pipe and an outlet forming a mounting lip, said connector flange having a channel to receive said coupler mounting lip resilient sealing means within said channel, riser means secured to said coupler member and adapted to extend upwardly through a well casing, lever means pivotally mounted on said coupler member, and an elongated operating member carried by said riser means and secured to said lever means, said lever means being operative when actuated by said operating member to tightly engage said coupler mounting lip against said sealing means within said connector flange channel and efiect flow interconnection thereof entirely within a well casing.

5. A pitless well adapter and coupling apparatus in combination with a well casing having a lateral discharge outlet at a substantial distance below the upper end thereof, said apparatus comprising a generally hollow adapter fitting disposed within said casing and having an outlet disposed in flow communication with said casing discharge outlet and having an inlet providing a connector flange, a generally hollow coupler member disposed within said casing and having an inlet adapted to be connected to a pump supply pipe therebelow within said casing and having an outlet forming a mounting lip, riser means secured to said coupler member and extending upwardly therefrom within said well casing and terminating at the upper end of said casing, lever means pivotally mounted on said coupler member and an elongated operating member carried by said riser means, said operating member being secured at its lower end to said lever means and terminating at its upper end at the upper end of said riser means, said lever means being operative when actuated by said operating member to tightly engage said coupler mounting lip against said adapter connector flange and efiect flow interconnection thereof entirely within a well casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,488,470 Gerweck et a1 Nov. 15, 1949 2,578,669 Butterfield et al. Dec. 18, 1951 2,623,467 Andrew Dec. 30, 1952 2,689,611 Martinson Sept. 21, 1954 2,707,030 Ortrnan Apr. 26, 1955 

